Heavier-than-air flying machine



J. HIGGINBOTTOM.

HEAVlER-THAN-AIR FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 3, 192i.

Lwfigga I Patented Jan. 10,1922.

[PATENT JAMES HIGGINBOTTOM, OF LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND.

HEAVIER-THAN-AIR FLYING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. MD, 1922.

Application filed November 3, 1921. Serial No. 512,599.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, JAMns HIGGINBOTTOM, a subject of the King of Great Britain, resi ing at Liverpool, in the county of Lancaster, England, have invented certain new and. useful Improvements in HeavierThan-Air Flying Machines, (for which I have filed application in England, May 5, 1920, No. 12.430/l920,) of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to construct an aeroplane or flying machine'capable of flying at its highest speed. with a lesser and more efficient carrying area, and of flying at its slowest speed with a greater carrying area. In carrying out this invention I make an aeroplane with upper and lower main carrying planes in combination wlth adjustable auxiliary planes placed between the upper and lower main planes, and I make the united surfaces of the main and the auxiliary planes of a total area suitable for car rying the total weight at the desired slow speed of flight. Also I make the surfaces of the main upper and lower planes of a total area suitable for carrying the total weight at the desired fast speed when the auxiliary planes are not in lifting action during flight.

I preferably make the fixed upper and lower main planes of a section and contour such as will have an optimum angle of incidence of about four degrees when flying at its desired fast speed with its maximum load and with its maximum L/D efiiciency during the horizontal flight of the aeroplane, and I preferably make the adjustable auxiliary planes with flat upper and lower surfaces. The invention is illustrated on one sheet of drawings and the reference letters and numbers correspond to the same parts in all the drawings. 1

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional elevation of a biplane having an upper main carrying plane 2 and a lower main carrying plane 3, also having adjustable auxiliary planes l placed between the upper and lower main planes on each side of the body of the aeroplane. This figure shows the relative positions of the main and auxiliary planes when the aeroplane is flying at its fast speed. viz., when the total load of the aeroplane is being carried mainly by front parts of the upper and lower main planes 2 and 3.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional elevation showing the relative positions of the main and auxiliary planes, when the aeroplane is flying at its slow speed, viz., when the total load of the aeroplane is being carried conjointly by the main and auxiliary planes upon their total united area.

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation showing in dotted lines the hand wheel, shaft, worms and worm wheels, for adjusting the auxiliary planes.

Fig. 4. is a sectional plan of Fig. 3, showing the adjusting apparatus of the auxiliary planes in the interior of the body of the aeroplane.

When the aeroplane is flying horizontally at its fast speed the rear parts of the upper and lower main planes, also the front and rear parts of the auxiliary planes are set to have a minimum of lifting effect, thus-"the main part of the total load becomes transferred, to the smaller area contained in the front parts, 2 and 3, of the upper end lower main planes.

hen the aeroplane is flying at its slow speed. the total load is carried conjoiutly by the greater area contained in the main and auxiliary planes.

In the figures, 5, is the body of the aeroplane which carries the fixed front parts of the main and auxiliary planes; 6, shows the rear parts of the .main upper and lower planes, these rear parts are preferably operated by the usual controls as in common use. 7, shows the rear parts of the auxiliary planes which are operated by the shafts 8, worm wheels 9, worms l0, inclined shaft ll, and hand wheel 12.

The shafts 8 and 8 extend the entire length of the planes, and are carried by the fixed front parts of the planes, by means of hinges 13 and 13 placed on each wing, the hinged part 13 is fixed by a pin 16 to the shaft 8, so that a movement of the shaft 8 causes the rear part 7 of the auxiliary plane to alter its position in relation to its front part.

By turning the handwheel 12, the operator conveys movement simultaneously to the rear parts 7 of the auxiliary planes, and on removing his hand the front parts land the rear parts 7 become automatically locked together in position relatively to each other.

I make the conjoint areas of the fixed front parts of the upper and lower main' planes, in relation to the conjoint areas of the rca parts of the upper and lower main planes added to the total areas of the auxiliary planes according to the desired differences between the slow and fast speeds of the aeroplane.

In ascent or descent from or to the ground and when flying at slow speedsthe whole areas of the main and auxiliary planes are in lifting action. By adjusting during flight the rear parts of the planes to a position of approximately no incidence as shown on Fig. l, the port-ion of the load carried by the rear parts at slow speeds becomes transferred to the smaller areas of the front parts oft-he main planes, which entails a consequent increase in the speed of the aeroplane for themaintenance of horizontal flight.

By this invention the speed of an aeroplane may be varied during flight or when descending to the ground or to a limited space, and the auxiliary planes can be used as powerful air brakes to modify or arrest the speed of the aeroplane.

By means of this invention the front parts of the upper and lower main planes can be designed to carry heavy loads per square foot of area at high speeds, at the most cilicient incidence of the section and contour used. Thus at fast speeds of flight a greater degree of safety is obtained, because the use of a small or a minus angle of incidence is avoided and the power required at high speeds is substantially reduced, when compared with the power required by ordinar planes whose whole areas are used for both slow and fast speeds of flight.

I am aware that aeroplanes have, heretofore been patented, involving a series of like supporting planes of arching form arranged one above another, and each provided with a small plane or blade pivoted on a horizontal axis at the fore edge of such plane, such axis being between the two edges of the smaller plane, and said blade or smaller plane constituting the leading edge of the main or carrying. plane; and each main plane being further provided at its. trailing edge with a narrow blade or small plane adjustable about a horizontal pivot located at one of its edges. Aeroplanes have also been heretofore patented, disclosing auxiliary planes intermediate the main or upper and lower carrying planes. and these have in some cases,as in British Patent No. 20.877 granted to me and dated September 13, 1909, been pivoted on horizontal axes intermediate their leading and trailing edges, and connected with one another in such manner as to permit them to be simultaneously ad- 'justed to varying inclination relatively to the main carrying planes.

In the present instance, however, the auxiliary planes consist each of a rigidly fixed forward section ofsubstantially plane surface, and of a rear section pivoted to the forward section and capable of adjustment at will into or out of plane with the forward section, the pivoted sections of the several auxiliary planes being connected one with another so as to permit of simultaneous and equal adjustment. With auxiliary planes of the form and arrangement herein proposed, such auxiliary planes, when their rear sections are adjustedinto plane withtheir forward sections, offer only negligible resistance to thepropulsion or forward movement of the aeroplane, and permit of its advance at the highest speed of which it is capable. lVhen, however, the rear sections are inclined more or less downward relatively to the forward sections, the auxiliary planes assume a form somewhat analogous to the main carrying planes, affording additional lifting or carrying capacity but adding somewhat to the resistance to movement through the air, hence lessening the speed.

of the aeroplane. By more sharply depressing the rear sections of the planes, a marked retarding effect may be secured, thus facilitating landing within limited areas. Through employment of screw or worm and worm-wheel connection betweenthe adjust able sections. of the several auxiliary planes, I am enabled not only to make thenecessary adjustments with ease and accuracy, but also insure their retention at any desired adjust ment without the aid of other locking or retaining devices.

I claim 1. An aeroplane comprising a body; fixed main carrying planes, and fixed auxiliary planes intermediate the main carrying planes, each of said planes consisting of a fixed front section and a pivoted rear sec tion, the pivoted rear section of each auxiliary plane being provided with a worm wheel concentric with its pivot axis; and a rotatable shaftsuitably journaled in the body of the aeroplane and having a worm or screw meshing with each of said worm wheels, whereby the pivoted sections of the auxiliary planes may be simultaneously adjusted, and held at any desired adjustment.

2. An aeroplane comprising upper and lower main carrying planes'having curved upper surfaces; auxiliary planes intermediate said main carrying planes, said auxiliary planes each consisting of a rigid front section' with fixed leading edge, and a rear section pivotally connected to the front section and adjustable relatively thereto, both sections of said auxiliary planes having flat or plane surfaces; and means for adjusting the rear sections of the auxiliary planes rel atively to the forward sections thereof.

3. An aeroplane comprising main carrying planes and a series of auxiliary planes, all of 5 said planes being provided with pivoted rear portions adjustable relatively to the forward portions; means for adjusting the rear portions of the main planes independently of' the auxiliary planes; and means for simultaneously adjusting the rear portions of the several auxiliary planes independently of the main planes.

JAMES HIGGINBOTTOM. Witnesses WILLIAM SNOWBALL, HENRY J. GREGORY. 

